uk beef production

Question 1

suckled calf
production systems

Answer 1

• Suckler bull beef
• Winter finishing
• Grass finishing

Question 2

dairy beef production

Answer 2

• Bull beef
• Cereal beef
• Grass silage
  beef
• Maize silage
  beef
• 18-month beef
• Grass beef

Question 3

what are the common characteristics of
beef production systems?

Answer 3

Common characteristics of
beef production systems:
* Breed
* Gender
* Feed
* Slaughter age:

Question 4

what is the price received dependant on

Answer 4

Weight;Dead, Live

Carcass classification
EUROP classification grid

Question 5

what is the average price for finished cattle?

Answer 5

504.9 p/kg (R4L, steers)

Question 6

what are the types of cattle feed

Answer 6

concentrates; cereal straights, compound feed

forages; grass strip grazing, grass silage

Question 7

what does the breed of cow determine?

Answer 7

rate of growth
age of maturity
what animals are fed
their age of slaughter

Question 8

what are some British breeds of cows?

Answer 8

Hereford

Beef Shorthorn

(Aberdeen) Angus

Belted Galloway

Question 9

what are some continental breeds of cow?

Answer 9

Limousin

Belgian/British Blue

Charolais

Simmental

Question 10

what are the characteristics of British cows ?

Answer 10

Small

Early maturing

Slow growing

Question 11

what are the characteristics of continental cows?

Answer 11

Large

Late maturing

Fast growing

Question 12

Cereal beef (‘barley’, ‘bull’, ‘intensive’ beef)

Answer 12

Yarded at all times

All concentrate diet (rolled barley/protein mix) ad libitum

Bulls of late maturing breeds
Can be taken to ideal slaughter weight without becoming too fat

Slaughtered at 11-13 months of age

Question 13

Maize silage beef

Answer 13

Yarded at all times

Same as grass silage beef except maize silage is fed

Maize silage is a very good source of energy, but a poor source of protein, therefore grass silage is often fed with it

Slaughtered at 12 -16 months of age

Question 14

Grass silage beef

Answer 14

Yarded at all times

Silage/concentrate diet

Bulls (and steers) of any breed or cross
Earlier maturers slaughtered at a lighter weight thus make lower gross margin/head, but as eat less can be stocked more heavily and can thus make a similar gross margin/ha as late matures

Slaughtered at 13 -17 months of age

Question 15

Eighteen month beef

Answer 15

Autumn born calves
Reared through winter from 3 months of age until spring turnout on silage ad lib. with a cereal
concentrate ration

Grazed from 6-12 months

Finished on silage ad lib. + cereal supplement at 16-20 months
Marketed in spring and early summer

Steers and heifers from the whole range of breeds

Question 16

Grass beef (24 month beef)

Answer 16

Autumn/mid-winter born calves
Reared as for 18 month beef up until end of grazing

Fed ‘store’ ration through second winter
Finished on grass at 20-24 months of age
Start marketing animals in July
Reduces cattle numbers in step with declining availability and quality of grass
Cattle that fail to finish are yarded for winter finishing
Grassland management must contend with 2 age groups of animal
Leader (calves) / follower (finishers) grazing system works well
Early maturing breeds and crosses, heifers and steers, are preferred

Question 17

what is extensive livestock production characterised by?

Answer 17

• Low productivity/animal
• Low stocking rate
• Low productivity/unit area
• Low inputs (capital & labour)
• Based on grazing
• Some additional inputs may be required, e.g. finishing of beef cattle

Question 18

what must extensive livestock producers do to be viable?

Answer 18

Minimise costs

Capitalise on added value (labels, direct selling)

Use breeds adapted to local conditions

Question 19

what are the benefits of extensive livestock production?

Answer 19

• Provide ecosystem services
• Maintain attractive landscapes (tourism, social wellbeing)
• ‘Quality’ products
• Complies with ‘One Health’ concept: health of environment, animals and humans are all interdependent